While driving, the brake pedal suddenly required extreme pressure to stop the vehicle safely. I pulled over and discovered a loud hissing sound coming from the engine bay. Upon inspection, I found that the brake booster vacuum hose had broken at the check valve connection near the brake fluid reservoir.

This resulted in a significant loss of brake assist, forcing me to apply near full body weight on the brake pedal to slow and stop the vehicle. This could have easily resulted in a crash if traffic conditions were different.

This is a serious safety hazard since the failure is sudden, without warning, and completely compromises braking performance. I understand other Ford models and years have had recalls related to brake vacuum hose/check valve failures, and this issue seems very similar.

Ford should issue a recall or Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) addressing the defective brake booster vacuum hose and provide a long-term solution. Owners should not have to risk brake failure on public roads.